President Donald Trump, speaking at a restaurant in Iowa on January 27, 2026, asserted that “We right now have more factories and plants being built in our country than we’ve ever had before.” The claim comes as the administration continues to emphasize a purported manufacturing resurgence linked to its trade policies and, more recently, the disbursement of funds through the CHIPS Act.
However, data from the U.S. Census Bureau indicates a more complex picture. While manufacturing construction spending increased under President Joe Biden, who served from January 20, 2021, to January 20, 2025, with gains recorded in each of his four years in office, overall spending to build, expand, and rehabilitate manufacturing sites in the U.S. Has declined since President Trump took office, according to a report by FactCheck.org.
Trump has repeatedly cited a figure of 41% as evidence of a record increase in investment in American factories. He initially presented this statistic during a White House press conference on January 20, and reiterated it the following day at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. According to Trump, this 41% increase was unprecedented, surpassing gains seen under previous administrations. He suggested that a victory for his opponent, Kamala Harris, in the 2024 election would have reversed this trend, resulting in a 41% decrease instead.
The White House provided a link to the Census Bureau’s manufacturing construction spending data, accessible through the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis’ FRED database, in support of the 41% claim. However, analysis of the data reveals that the increase was measured during a period when companies were seeking approvals for projects, and Trump suggested that his administration had expedited these approvals.
Despite Trump’s claims of a “manufacturing boom,” U.S. Manufacturing jobs have been declining. Reuters reported in January 2026 that U.S. Manufacturing jobs continued an eight-month skid beginning in the spring of the previous year, following the implementation of aggressive import taxes intended to stimulate domestic production. A PolitiFact assessment of Trump’s statement found that while factory construction is at a high level compared to recent history, the claim of “more factories and plants being built…than we’ve ever had before” lacks definitive support.
The discrepancy between the administration’s claims and the available data has prompted scrutiny from fact-checking organizations. The Samsung Austin Semiconductor plant in Taylor, Texas, which received CHIPS Act funds, is often cited as an example of modern manufacturing investment, but the broader trend remains contested. As of February 25, 2026, the White House has not responded to requests for further clarification regarding the methodology behind the 41% figure or a comprehensive assessment of manufacturing job trends.
